The number of rapes recorded in Cambridgeshire each year has more than doubled in the last five years, according to new figures.

Police-recorded data and figures from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have revealed that 483 rapes were recorded in Cambridgeshire in 2015/16, compared with 193 in 2011-12.

Of the rapes recorded in the 2015-16 period, 338 were against adults and 145 against children.

The figures have been published today by the Rape Monitoring Group, which looked at 42 areas across the country to show how rape cases are dealt with at all stages of the criminal justice process.

Norah Al-Ani, development officer at Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, said she was not surprised by the figures and that she believed “high profile” cases had spurred people on to report such incidents.

She told the News: “I think there’s been a real shift in responses to those cases and believing victims of rape and sexual violence. That has encouraged people to come forward and speak out.”

However Ms Al-Ani added further work was needed to increase the “relatively low” number of prosecutions.

She said: “There has been some improvement in the number of prosecutions but it’s still nowhere near enough in relation to the number of people coming forward and reporting.

“I think there is still a culture of victim blaming and harmful myths still exist. Those things are limiting victims from getting the justice they deserve.”

The research also showed just 20 people were convicted in Cambridgeshire for the offence of rape in 2015.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire police said: “We are absolutely committed, with our partners, to tackling rape and serious sexual assaults, providing support to victims and catching perpetrators.

“Our figures are broadly in line with the national average and the increase in offences reflects a greater willingness of victims to come forward, together with improved crime recording.

“We work closely with our partner agencies, Oasis at Rivergate, in Peterborough (the Sexual Assault Referral Centre), Peterborough Rape Crisis, Peterborough Women’s Aid and Cambridge Rape Crisis, to support victims and give us the best chance to charge offenders.

“The Oasis offers a safe, welcoming and comfortable environment, which focuses on the needs of the individual.”

Across England and Wales, there were 35,785 reported rapes in 2015/16 and 2,687 convictions.